Cracked rails occur in various geographical areas, in various climates, and at various locations where the rail beds are in less than optimal condition. Undetected cracked rails can cause derailment along with life-threatening danger and equipment damage. Currently, ten mile areas of rail track are probed before a train is allowed to go on the track. The probing creates a delay and backup in freight car areas and in locomotive dispatching, where cost to shipping is added due to these idle waiting rail cars.
It is desirable to know the condition of a section of track as the train leaves that section of the track. Self-policing track by simple low cost means for the next user, which may be closer than the ten mile probe area, would allow closer spacing of trains and thus increase throughput of coal etc., throughout the rail system.
All sorts of schemes have been conceived to detect cracks in a rail, but none appear to be cost effective. Ultrasound, and the like, employ detectors to screen out known discontinuities in track mating techniques, but none are cost effective to date.
Further problems occur when train locomotives pull heavy loads under various types of weather, track condition, etc. Wheel slippage causes damage to tracks and wheels themselves. Various techniques have been tried to detect loss of traction as well as slippage and re-direct power to the non-slipping wheels. This resembles the limited slip or traction control offered in many automobiles. Such techniques have had varying degrees of success.
It is desired to greatly increase traction to enable locomotives to pull greater loads up hills. Maintenance of damaged wheels and track due to slippage is time-consuming and costly. Therefore, the desire to minimize or eliminate slippage is another issue for the subject of the present invention.